Understanding Marriage
by Rietto
Summary: Maria never truly understands the true meaning of marriage.


The idea of marriage was simple in Maria's mind. The Witch of Origin once thought that marriage means a kind of party where she could wear pretty dress and shower the host of the party with flower petals. The word commitment had never been in her vocabulary, but it was because she never knew it exist in the first place, and so for her marriage ends when the party ends.

That was why, when her best friend got married, and she found Virgilia lectured her about what she could not do to Battler anymore (Beatrice never thought of most of plans Virgilia mentioned, and the result of the lecture was only her getting vague idea that her husband was a masochist, and that her Mother was as mad as a March Hare), she finally realized that her interpretation was wrong. And so, after the lecture was over, she asked Beatrice about the true meaning of marriage.

Beatrice blinked at her question, and her face turned red as she remembered the very fact that she's married to her beloved person. She herself didn't understand the concept of it very well -and the reason why she loved Battler in the first place-but Beatrice was sure that the S-word should not be mentioned at that time.

"Marriage means… you promise your beloved person that you would always by his side, to protect him from evil, to make him happy when he's sad, and always support him in any times," she finally said, careful to use simplest words possible.

"Uuu? So… Is Maria married to Mama? But Mama is a she, uuu…"

Maria looked so serious when she said that, Beatrice couldn't help but to laugh at her.

Beatrice understood. In a corner of her mind, she could see it faintly. It was perhaps the memory of her Mother, the one that gave her everything she had. Maria was never good in understanding explanations. One could only guess how did she able to understand such things as magic circles, talismans, and other magic related stuffs. The fact that she did, was maybe magic itself.

"Uuu! Beato meanie! Stop laughing, uuu! Maria is serious, uuu!"

She tried to stop, really, but she couldn't fight the urge to laugh even harder when Maria asked if she's married to her.

Annoyed, Maria decided that it's best to ask her later, when she's sober.

Knowing her, it would take a while. Because of that, she decided to ask her most trusted person while she waits.

"So what do you think, Sakutaro?"

Sakutaro was good with academic stuffs, but he wasn't good at this, and he knew that. It's not that he didn't understand the meaning of marriage, it's just that it was hard finding words that Maria could comprehend.

"Uryuu… Ma… Maria understands what love is right?"

"Uuu! Maria understands. It's the essence of magic after all."

Beatrice had taught her long time ago, that without love, magic could not be seen. Maria then tried to love everything around her, in hope to fill the emptiness in her heart. In her mother's stead, she had a lot of friends that loved her from the bottom of their hearts.

They're all not human, sadly…

"Does Maria have someone you love? I-I mean… Love more than the others, uryuu…"

"Uuu… Mama. Maria loves Mama very much, uuu!"

Sakutaro realized that this would make her even more convinced that her Mama is someone she could marry. The different was, he couldn't laugh about it. Oh no, it was a serious matter. If Maria understands it the wrong way, Mama would surely be mad again. If that happened, Maria would be sad, and Sakutaro hated it when Maria sad.

"Mama is different, uryu. Mama is family, so she doesn't count, uryu. Uhh… Uryu… Ah! Marriage is asking someone to become father of your child, uryuu!" he said in desperation.

It took Maria few long seconds to respond. "But… Mama said Maria needs to be an adult first to have a child, uuu…" she said as she tilted her head to the side.

"That's right, uryu! Marriage is for adult only, uryu!"

"Uuu… Can't do it now… Too bad, uuu…"

Her last comment intrigued him.

"Uryu… Maria want to get married?"

Her disappointment seemed to dissolve immediately after the question escaped his lips.

"Uuu! Maria want to be a bride like Beato! Beato promised Maria once, she will give Maria the most beautiful dress, u! Maria can also use flowers from Golden Land for her bouquet, uuu! Maria can't wait! It'll be the most beautiful wedding ever, uuu!"

Sakutaro didn't doubt that at all. As Maria described her dream wedding to him, he smiled, saying 'uryu' once in a while when she asked his opinion.

"And then, and then! Ange will be the bridesmaid, uuu! She'll be perfect, right Sakutaro?"

"Uryu! Ange is perfect. She'll look great in white, uryu!"

"And then… Ah! I know! Let's go to Delsney Land for honeymoon, Sakutaro!"

"Uryu! That sounds… u-uryu?! Ma… Maria… Maria can't take me for honeymoon, uryu! It should be for you and your husband only, uryu!" Sakutaro turned red, and he flailed his hands panicking.

"Maria knows, silly! Kihihihihihi! Sakutaro will become Maria's husband, right? U! Sakutaro will look great in penguin costume!" she said innocently.

Penguin costume?!

"I like lion costume better, uryuu… Wait, uryu! Maria… wants me to be the groom?"

She grinned.

"Beato said marriage means Maria must promise my beloved person to be with him forever! Sakutaro is Maria's beloved person, uuu! Maria wants to have a child with Sakutaro, uuu! Sakutaro will be a great father, uuu! Sakutaro was a great father when we play house with the rabbit band, so Maria is sure, uuu!"

As much as he wanted to tell her that he wanted to marry her too, he could not deny the truth that he's just a stuffed animal. But he didn't dare to say it. In the past, Ange had once broken her heart by telling her the truth. He didn't have the heart to shatter it once more.

And so, he merely nodded; with hope that she forget this ever happen on her own, so that her fragile heart won't be shattered anymore. And also, for this discussion to end quickly…

"Uuu… The promise can't be made now… I know! I promise I'll marry Sakutaro! If only this, then it should be fine, right?"

"Uryu… I think so, uryu…"

"That's great, Sakutaro! Uuu! Maria will ask more details to Beato later, but Maria sure Sakutaro is correct! Sakutaro always correct, uuu! About marriage, and…"

"There's more, uryu?"

"uuu… Maria wants to know how to make a child, uuu. Does Sakutaro know?"

With even redder face, he decided to tell her that a stork will give her the baby later if she's already married.

--

**Uhmm…**

**No relation, but… Happy Pi and White day, people.**


End file.
